Potato-harvester



- l 3 Sheets-Sheet I. fH. C. WILSN. I PUTA-T0 HARVESTER.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug'. 29, 1893.

RMS,

(No Modem. 3 snestsf-sn'-t 2.

H'. C. WILSON. POTATO HARVESTER.

No. 504,186. v Patented Aug-29,1893.

(Hommel.)- l `a-beets-sheet 3. H. (1 -WILSON. f

`l PGTATO HARVESTER.

No." 504,186. Patented Aug. 29, 1893.

Unirrnn STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

HENRY C. WILSON,` OF'EDWARDSVILLE, KANSAS.

POTATO'- HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,186, dated August 29, 1893.

Application tiled September 23, 1892. Serial No. 446,705. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY C. WILSON, of Edwardsville, county of Wyandotte, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Potato-Harvesters,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to potato harvesters, wherein the potatoes are plowed or scraped up from the hill, and elevated to an ope'n ended separating cylinder, by which means the weeds and dirt are separated from the potatoes, and they are discharged into bags at the rear end of the machine.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine which will `effectively perform its work, and will not be unnecessarily heavy, complicated, or hard to pull over the ground, and which will be easily operated and will completely dig up all of the potatoes from the ground, and after thoroughly separating them from the soil, dirt, vines, and weeds deliver them in a clean, marketable condition, in sacks carried upon the machine, and received by an attendant supported upon the machine, as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1. is a plan of a potato harvester embodying my invention. Fig. 2.is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3. is a vertical transverse section of the machine in line :c a: of Fig. 1. looking toward the rear end of the machine. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the frame work of the separating cylinder and its connections with the casing rods, or wires, removed. Fig. 5. is a perspective of the upper forward transverse brace for supporting the upper shaft, the friction roller, and the cylinder operating sprocket wheel. Fig. 6. is a perspective of one of the trunnion brackets for supporting the rear end of the elevator. Fig. 7. is a detail in perspective of one of the angle arm brackets for supporting one of the lower forward friction rollers. Fig. 8. is a detail in section of the upper discharge end, and spout of the trough at the rear end of the machine. Fig. 9. is a detail in elevation of the lower part of the rear end of the cylinder showing its friction roller supports. Fig. 10. is a detail in perspective of a fragment of the Wheel rim and tire with its serrated tread.

Fig. 1l. is a detail view showing the lever and clutch mechanism for throwing the operating mechanism in and out of gear.

The main frame of the machine is composed of upper longitudinal bars, 1, extending from the rear to the front endV of the machine, lower converging longitudinal bars, 2, which extend from the rear to the middle part of the machine, and vertical posts, 3 and 4, secured at their lower ends to the lower longitudinal oars and extending above the upperlongitudinal bars, and connected at their lower ends by transverse braces, 5 andv 6, and at their upper ends by transverse braces, 7 and 8, and

are also bolted securely to the upper longitudinal bars. The upper longitudinal bars, 1, are supported at their forward ends upon a deck frame, 9, carrying at its lower end the axle, 10, and braced to the longitudinal bars by a diagonal rod,11, said axle being supported upon suitable Wheels, 12. The rear axle, 13, is cranked to pass beneath the lower longitudinal frame bars, 2, and is securely bolted to said bars, and extends upwardly at each side of the frame to a point about midway between the upper andl lower longitudinal bars and has its opposite ends projecting horizontally outward. The axle, 13, carries rear wheels, 14, each carrying a spur gear, 15, which serves to drive the elevatorand separating cylinder, and having a serrated periphery, 14a, with marginal flanges,14b, as will hereinafter appear.

The elevator frame 16, is composed of the inclined and parallel side-bars 19, which are j connected together bytransverse or crossstrps 25, and secured longitudinally of the elevator and parallel and in proximity toeach other upon the cross-strips 25 are the str-.ips

26; the arrangement being such that the loose earth carried upon the elevator frame will escape between the longitudinal strips 26. The

ets secured to the cross-bar 5 and also to the front vertical bars 3.

Secured upon the shaft 17 adjacent to the IOO i vjournaled in bearings 17c of supporting brackhub projections 41 of bearing brackets 169, are the sprocket pinions 22, and revolubly mounted between the side pieces 19 near their lower ends isa roller 18,which extends transversely of the elevator frame. The elevator proper, is composed of the endless chains 20, which engage with and pass around the sprocket pinions 22 and the roller 18; these chains being connected at suitable intervals by the cross-bars or strips 21. These crossbars or strips 21 are adapted as the endless elevator or carrier is operated, to move upward upon the longitudinal strips or bars 26, and convey the potatoes to the rotating separator, hereinafter referred to.

To gather or scoop the potatoes from the hills, a shovel 23 is provided; this shovel being secured to thelower ends of the side pieces 19 by bolts 24, which pass through said side pieces and also through the ears 23a projecting upwardly from said shovel.

To raise the shovel from the ground when necessary or desirable, a toggle-connection is formed between the front axle and the elevator-frame; this toggle consisting of the arm or lever 28, which is provided with an eye or loop at its forward end which engages pivotally a hook 29 carried at the rear side of the front axle.

Pivoted at 28 at their forward ends to the vertical sides of the arm or lever 28, and about midway of its length, are the link-bars 28h, which diverge and curve downwardly and rearwardly, and are bifurcated to form the branch-arms 26a and 27; the lower ends of these arms being bolted or otherwise secured to the sides of the elevator frame. The rear end of the arm or lever 28 is pivotally connected at 3l to the lower end of the link-bar 32. The upper end of the link, 32, is pivotally secured by a strap, 33, to the crank of a rock shaft, 34, supported in bearings, 35, upon the under sides of the longitudinal bars, 1, of the machine, and has a grip pawl hand level', 36, whichengages with the segment rack, 37, also bolted to the longitudinal bars, 1, of the machine, by which means the forked arm,28b, and the forward arm 28 of the elevator, 16, may be raised to any required height, and lowered, the toggle joint, at 28, permitting the arm 28 to relax, and allow the elevator' to be raised.

Aseat,i37, for the driver, is supported upon a bracket, 38, upon one side of the machine,

and to a transverse bar, 39, which connects the upperlongitudinal bars, 1, midway of their length, and also supports the ends of the diagonal, downwardly extending bars, 40, which are provided with bearings, and which tit upon the hub projections, 4l, of the brackets, 1G, which are secured to the forward lower crossbars, 5, and form the trunnions upon which the upper ends of the elevator side pieces, 19, are pivotally supported. These bars not only serve `to hold the vertical post, 3, securely in position, but also hold the shaft, 17, securely in place, and the ends of this shaft have titrotate the cylinder.

ted upon them pinions, 17h, which mesh with the spur gear, 15, upon the wheels, 14, and serve to drive the said shaft, and through it operate the elevator chains.

A frusto conical separating cylinder, 42, expanding in diameter from its forward to its rear end, is supported with its longitudinal axis approximately in a horizontal line by friction rollers uponA the frame, which bear upon its forward and its rear rims, or peripheries, 43-44, respectively, and extends from the rear vertical post nearly to the forward vertical post, and is, therefore, located in length midway of the axle, 13, and in height its longitudinal axis is less than a foot above the rear wheel axle. The rim of the forward end of the cylinder 43 is formed With sprocket teeth, 44, upon its middle portion, and smooth anges, 45, upon either side thereof, and grooved friction wheels, 46, 47, 48, supported upon the frame,fhold the front end'of thecyl- `inder truly in position, to berevolved freely upon said friction rollers by a sprocket chain, 49, passing over a sprocket wheel, 50, supported upon a stub axle, 51, of thel brace, 7,

`as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the said sprocket wheel being `geared byl lniter wheels, 52-523 to an upper transverse shaft, 53, supported in bearings in the upper ends of the posts 3, and driven by a sprocket wheel, 54, and chain,

55, which latter extends downwardly and around the sprocket wheel, 56, secured to the shaft, 17, which drives the elevator, and also serves through the means just described, to

The brace, 7, at the upper ends of the posts, 3, is held rearwardly of the posts 3 by the bracket arm 7 7, a sufficient distance to allow the rim of the sprocket pinion, 50, and miter wheels, 52-52", to be located between the said brace and the shaft, 53. The upper friction roller, 46, is supported upon a stub axle, 46, secured to the lower end of the pendent arms, 7c, of the brace, 7, and located immediately below tliestub axle, 51, of the sprocket wheel, 50. The friction rollers, 47 and 48, are supported upon rearwardly projecting stub axles, 47 48, upon the opposite lower corners of the frame, and connected by the angle arm,47" 48", respectively, with a vertical post, 3, and the transverse brace, 5. The friction rollers, 4-47-48, embracing the sprocketteeth, 44, being grooved serve to hold the said cylinder from endwisc movement within the frame. The rear end friction rollers, 57-5859, are supported upon stub axles, 573-581-59, respectively secured to the upper transverse brace, 18, and the vertical posts, 4, in a simple and secure manner, and bear upon the rim, 44, at the rear end of the cylinder, and `hold it truly in position, to revolve freely between them.V The cylinder, 42, has longitudinal strips, 42, which connect the front and rear rims, 4344, with eachother, and to the near side of which -is secured a series of spi'rally arranged bars or rods, 42", of heavy wire equi` distant from each other, to leave sufficient IOO IIO

IZO

space for the earth to pass between them, but sufficiently near together to detain the potatoes Within the cylinder. Spiral plates, 42C, of sheet metal, extending from the' front to the rear of the cylinder, are also securedvto the longitudinal strips, 42, and are placed at to the outer sides of the vertical bars 3 are .the levers 17 the lower ends of which are bifurcated and engage the annular grooves 1 equal distances apart, and in the same direction with the rods, 42h, but at much greater distances apart, to serve as conveyers, for moving the potatoes with a gradual, progressive movement to the discharge end of the y j .in 'engagement with the gear-wheels 15, and

cylinder, which movement is also greatly facilitated by the rearwardly inclined bottom of the cylinder. Spirally arranged fingers, or rods, of iron, 42d, bolted to the longitudinal strips, 42, are located intermediately of the plates or flanges, 42, and also extend spirally and rearwardly wit-hin the cylinder in the direction of the flanges, 42C, and terminate at their extremities inside of the inner lines of the said iianges, which serve to direct and carry the weeds, stems, and trash from the surface of the cylinder to the interior thereof, to separate them from the potatoes and carry them rearwardly to the discharge end of the cylinder, from whence they fall upon the ground.

To the rear of the frame bars, 1 and 2, and uponv the posts, 4, is secured a semicircular trough, 60, having a discharge spout, 6l, upon the left side thereof, as shown in detail, Fig. 8, and a series of rake ingers, 62, secured to the rear end rim, 44, of the cylinder, revolve within the said trough, and carry to the discharge spout, 61, the potatoes, which fall into the trough from the discharge end of the cylinder, the Weeds having been carried over and beyond the trough by the fingers, 42d, which project inside the inner circle thereof and beyond the rear end of the cylinder.

Hooks, 62, upon the spout, support the mouth of the bag, 63, which is suspended therefrom by an attendant standing upon the platform, 64, supported at its rear end by a bracket, 65, secured to the post, 4, and supported at its forward end by a bracket, 66, supported upon the end of the axle, 13, which provides a convenient place for the attendant to stand and drive forward with the machine, and to provide for the reception of the potatoes, which'are delivered to the bags in a clean, marketable condition, ready to be tied and dropped upon the ground, to be replaced by another bag as the machine moves forward.

The tire hereinbefore described with its smooth hanged margins, 14h, and its intermediate serrated periphery, or tread, is Well adapted to run both upon smooth and upon rough ground, and will not slip, thus giving ample tractive power to the wheel to operate the rotatable cylinder, the roughened serrations taking into uneven surfaces, and the smooth outer anges rolling upon smooth ground. An ordinary clutch mechanism shown in Fig. 11 serves to throw the shaft 17 in and out of gear.

Formed integrally and projecting inwardly lfrom the pinions 15b, which are loose'upon -the shaft 17, are the hub-clutch projections 15', and rigidly mounted upon the shaft 17 just inward of the hub-clutches 15 are the clutch sections 15".

Pivo'ted at 16 to t-he brackets 16" secured of the hub-clutches. l

The pinions 15b are designed to be always when'it is desired to operate the elevator and separator mechanism the levers are operated to throw the hub-clutches into engagement -with the hub-sections 15.

To hold the clutches into or out of engagement I provide brackets 18', which are secured to the outer sides of the vertical 'bars 3 and a suitable distance above the pivotal points of the levers, and these brackets are formed with the rearwardly extending arms 18, (Fig. 1) against the outer or inner sides of which, the upper portions of the levers are adapted to rest; these levers being of springmetal are easily sprung to such position.

The operation of the machine will be readily understood from the foregoingdescription, and I do not deem it necessary to give a detailed description thereof.

The machine is strong, durable'and compact, and may be put together in a workmanlike manner, to run lightly, and with but little friction.

Any of the parts may be easily taken apart for repairs, and duplicate parts may be'easi'ly obtained in any well equipped machine shop.

Having described my invention, what f I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A potato harvesting machine, comprising a wheeled frame, an opening plow and elevator, a conical separating cylinder, and a frame composed of upper longitudinal bars extending and converging from the rear of the machine to the forward axle, lower bars correspondingly converging, extending below the cylinder, cross bars, and vertical end bars for connecting the longitudinal bars and for supporting the friction rollers and shaft-ing, and a rear axle secured to the lower longitudinal bars midway of the length of the cylinder, substantially as described.

2. A potato harvester, comprising a wheeled frame, the conical horizontally revolving separating cylinder, an elevator driven and supported by a shaft at its upper end, geared to ing its rear end adjacent to the front openA end.l of the. rotatable separator and pivotedto ing link-bare securedto the elevator frame,

and pivotally connected to the armor lever,

and meansvto liftthe rca-r end ofr the armor S1 lever to raise the elevatori-rame, .substantially as set forth;

4; In a-potatoharvestingmachine, the com bination with a wheeled frame. havinga rotatable separatomof anelevator frame having itsrear end adjacent to the, front opeil` end oftherotatable separator andlpivotedto operate vertically, and anarrn or lever pivot-` ally'connectedto the front axle, andr diverg ing and curved link-barssiiacnred:` tothe-ele` vater-frame and pvotcd`` at their front ends to andiabout midway offthcarm or leven-and a cranked rockshatt,.and a ventcafl-linlfzv piv4 otally connecting,` the reanend ofI the arnr or lever and the'. crank of the rockshaft,.and:

mean s`v to operate and holdsaid: noc'kfshaft at` any' pointdesired, `auimstantially" as `set forth. l

5. A- pctato'harvcsfter, comprisinga rotary conical separatingl cylinder, `supportedwith its axis-v horizontal and its expanding rear end: inclined downwardly, and a series of blades securedwithinthecylinder expanding spiralfly to the rear of the cylinder, and intermediate foraminous cylinder surfacefer giving continuous endW-ise.A movement tothe tubers, and sifting the soil therefrom., euh

stantially" as described.

6. A potato harvester, comprising theeeparating cylinder having annularcnd, or rim, bands, longitudinal strips connecting said bands, spiral `blades extending from th-efront i to the rear of the interior of the cylinder, 1

;andspiralintermediate rodssequidistantfrom;

toesfas they arecarriedzforwardr by therblade's,

i substantially as described'JA 7. A potato harvester, comprinsingrp-tilesepaf` rating cylinder, hav-ing an openwork'casing, 45

spiral blades.` extending from. the forward" to,

i the rear end of the cylinder, andcorretngpolid ingly curved-inwardly, inclinedtines, or iin,- z gers, extcndinginsidethecircles of theblades to carry off the Sterns,stalksand Weedsrfrom the potatoes, substantially as i described;

i 8.f Apotatofharvester, comprisingpawheeled l; frame, amevciving; separating cyli nder,y rake fxngers` secured to the rear rim, or periph-` Lery, of said cylindelgtc project, rearwardly 2; and outwardlytheref-romgand ai semicircillar f trough supported upon. the Aframe inthe pathl of the rake; fingerahaving'a discharge `spent 1 upon-,one sident the; machine, subis,t-fmtially,r

as; described. 9 Apotatol1arveeter,coxnprisingawheeled iframe, a rotatable; separator mounted upon i the frame, a dischangetrough at the naar c1101 lof theseparator, andr a; platform supported iat the rear end of the separator, and outward; 30E one of the drive-,wheels and consisting of Qiabx'acket 65, `secu-refltofthe framework, f aA bracket ieecnred to; the end .of the: axle, 5 and;- a hoard restinguponfrthehcrizontalarms of said brackets,substantially as, set forth. In testi-monyfwhereof Iaiixmy signatnrein the presence of two;witnesses.

HENRY WILSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM R', I-IOLMAN,

Mam) FITZPATRtCm 

